Renewable Energy in the Developing World

Here’s an article that echoes a point I make often: bringing renewable energy to the developing world represents arguably the biggest bang for our philanthropic buck.  Here, you’ll learn about the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) and why its executive director Robert Freling agrees with me that this enterprise successfully addresses a myriad of social ills: lack of clean drinking water, deforestation, education, and, perhaps most important, family planning.  I’m delighted to see the  awareness of  “energy poverty” is growing, along with some meaty action plans to address the issue, backed by some real heavyweights: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The William J. Clinton Foundation, the UN Secretary-General, and Oprah Winfrey to name a few.

Freling remarks: “I am excited to see changes that are taking place at the high political level. For a long time, energy was not on people’s radar.”  That’s exactly right, Robert, and thanks at least in part to your terrific work, that’s no longer the case.